The invention lies in the field of power plant specifically designed for mobile applications. More specifically, the invention relates to a combination of an output system of an internal combustion engine or a turbine engine and an input system for injecting fluid into the combustion process. The input system, specifically, includes a displacement pump, specifically for pumping air and water, and to the utilization of such a pump as a gas compression pump in the internal combustion engine and the turbine.
Fluid displacement pumps are subject to a variety of applications in engineering. For instance, such pumps are utilized in compression systems such as air compressors and as fluid pumps. For example, British Patent Specification 265,659 to Bernhard discloses an internal combustion engine with fuel pressurization separate from the combustion chamber. There, fuel is pressurized in a compressor and the pressurized fuel is fed from the pump to the engine through a port assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,287,268 to Edwards discloses a propulsion system for a motor vehicle. There, a compressor formed with mutually interengaging helical impellers pumps to an internal combustion engine which is also formed with mutually interengaging helical impellers. The internal combustion engine drives a generator, which pumps hydraulic fluid to individual hydraulic motors that are disposed at each of the wheels. The impellers of Edwards are each formed with a frusto-conical axle. The helical blades correspondingly decrease in width along the increasing-diameter axle. The walls defining the housing around the impellers increase in diameter in the direction in which the axle diameter decreases. As a result, the helical combustion chamber increases in volume from inside the housing to the axial ends of the impellers.
Where such fluid displacement pumps are utilized in compression systems, it is important that the pump is directed from the low-pressure side to the high-pressure side. Continuous backflow and/or backpressure pulsations must be prevented so as to assure efficient operation of the attendant system. In an electrical equivalent diagram, the pump would in effect be modeled as a diode and power source.
It is an object of the invention to provide an output system of an internal combustion engine and turbine plant and a combination of the novel output system and an input system formed with a fluid displacement pump, which overcomes the disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which is further improved in terms of efficiency and backflow prevention, and which allows essentially continuous output with power feedback that is automatically varied according to the load on the output system.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an engine, comprising:
a rotary input system for compressing a combustion fluid and feeding the combustion fluid into a combustion chamber of the engine, whereby an increase and a decrease in an input speed of the input system respectively cause a corresponding increase and a decrease in a pressure output of combustion chamber;
a first turbine connected to a pressure output of the combustion chamber and driving a load; and
a second turbine connected to the pressure output of the combustion chamber and connected to drive the rotary input system;
whereby an increase in the pressure output of the combustion chamber acting on the second turbine increases the input speed of the input system and increases the pressure output of the combustion chamber.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, a mechanical or electrical feedback link connects the second turbine to the input system and drives the input system.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, there is provided a single turbine connected to a pressure output of the combustion chamber;
a differential connected to and driven by the turbine, the differential having a first output for driving a load and a second output linked to the input system and driving the input system.
With the above and other objects in view there is also provided, in accordance with the invention, a combined input and output system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a rotary input system disposed to propel a fluid flow along a given input direction, the input system including an impeller having a rotary axis extending substantially parallel to the given input direction;
an input conduit connecting the input system to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine;
a rotary output system connected to a pressure output of the combustion chamber and being subjected to a pressurized gas flow from the combustion chamber flowing along a given output direction, the output system having a turbine driven by the pressurized gas flow and disposed to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to the given output direction.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the input system includes a fluid displacement pump having: a housing formed with a chamber having walls defined by two parallel, mutually intersecting cylindrical openings defining respective cylinder axes; and a double helix spindle impeller for pumping a fluid through the chamber, the double helix spindle impeller including two rotatable, substantially cylindrical axles each carrying a helically rising blade substantially sealing against the walls of the chamber and formed to pump fluid through the chamber upon being rotated.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the blades of the double helix spindle impeller have a radius substantially equal to a spacing distance between the cylindrical axles. In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the blades enclose an angle of between approximately 45xc2x0 and almost 90xc2x0 with the cylindrical axles.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the input conduit is a helically winding pipe. This feature is particularly suitable for assuring preheating of the injection gas.
In accordance with again an added feature of the invention, a feedback link connects the power output system to the input system and drives the input system.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the output system includes two sets of turbines, a first set of turbines providing a power output of the internal combustion engine, and a second set of turbines being connected via a feedback link to the input system for driving the input system.
The displacement pump system disclosed here provides for a substantially continuous fluid flow, such as air flow into the combustion chamber with a minimum in pulsations. Any backpressure from the combustion chamber into the air intake is safely blocked off by the walls of the double-impeller system. At least one continuous wall, preferably two complete walls, are at all times established by the rotating impeller blades and the relative alignment of the impellers.
One of the important features is that the blades of the impeller system are almost flat, i.e., their attack angle relative to backpressure is close to perpendicular so that they will not be turned by a pressurized backflow. The impeller rotation that is introduced via the spindle shafts, however, leads to a volume displacement towards the chamber to be pressurized. The impeller system can be driven with variable speed, which translates proportionally in a variable fluid displacement and/or to a variable pressure buildup.
With the above and other objects in view there is also provided, in accordance with the invention, a combined input and output system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a rotary input system disposed to propel a combustion fluid into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, whereby an increase and a decrease in an input speed of the input system respectively cause a corresponding increase and a decrease in a pressure output of the internal combustion engine;
a first output system connected to a pressure output of the combustion chamber and driving a load; and
a second output system connected to the pressure output of the combustion chamber and driving the rotary input system;
whereby an increase in the load automatically causes a higher proportion of the pressure output of the combustion chamber to act on the second output system, to increase the input speed of the input system, and to increase the pressure output of the combustion chamber.
In accordance with again another feature of the invention, there is provided a mechanical feedback link connecting the power output system to the input system and driving the input system. In the alternative, there may be provided an electrical feedback link converting a power output of the power output system to electrical energy and for driving the input system.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a power output system of a prime mover and a combination of an output system and an input system for with a fluid displacement pump with backflow stop, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.